Reply to Comment by Alexandrov and Bratkovsky [cond-mat/0603467, cond-mat/0606366]

TL;DR

This paper clarifies that their original work on molecular transport is not applicable to scenarios with significant lead coupling, emphasizing the importance of dynamical effects over static population assumptions.

Contribution

The authors distinguish their original transport analysis from isolated molecule models, highlighting the relevance of dynamical effects in systems with considerable lead coupling.

Findings

Dynamical effects are crucial in molecular transport with significant lead coupling.

Isolated molecule models are not suitable for describing systems with strong lead interactions.

The original analysis remains valid for realistic transport junctions.

Abstract

The submitted Comment is based on using an isolated quantum dot approach to discuss the situation where the coupling to the leads is considerable (not negligible). This finite lead coupling is the situation in most molecular transport junctions. In such situations the population on the molecule is not static and dynamical effects (fluctuations) are crucial. While the discussion in [Phys. Rev. B 67, 235312 (2003)], and in the Comment may well apply for an isolated molecule, it is simply irrelevant for the very different transport situation analyzed in our original contribution.